Disorder in the Court

A Michigan state trial court judge previously censured by the Michigan Supreme Court for sending a “nearly naked” photograph of himself to a sheriff’s department employee is under investigation again.

This time, he’s accused of impregnating a complaining witness in a case pending before him. He allegedly promised to divorce his wife and marry her, but then tried to coerce her into having an abortion. Still later, he complained to county prosecutors, baselessly, that the witness was stalking and trying to extort him.

Judge Wade H. McCree previously had sent a photo of himself, topless, to the married sheriff’s department employee. After the employee’s husband complained to the media, the judge told a reporter, “Hot dog, yep that’s me. I’ve got no shame in my game.” He said he was no more naked than he would be during a swim at the YMCA. He was censured in October 2012.

Now the judge, who is married, is being investigated on other charges, stemming from his involvement with a woman complaining her “Baby Daddy” failed to pay child support, a felony. He knew he could get in trouble for the relationship, texting her, “You are the complaining witness on a case that is before me. Naturally if it got out that we were seeing each other before your BD’s [baby daddy]’s case closed everybody could be in deep s--.”

He also texted her about the financial penalties he could impose on the father she was accusing, saying “OK, The math will be based on his failures since being placed on probation, but if U’r right. The threat of jail will loosen his purse strings!”

The judge’s wife found out about the affair and the pregnancy, which led the judge to demand the other woman have an abortion. The judge promised her, in yet another text, “U’LL GET WHATEVER U WANT 4 IT!” (the abortion).

Evidently, she wouldn’t agree, so he complained to county prosecutors she was stalking and extorting him. The prosecutors found no grounds for such charges and referred the case to the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission. The commission previously had investigated the topless photo charges. Its recommendations go to the state supreme court for final action.